Cox launches home security in Phoenix

ATLANTA—Cox Communications has expanded the trial of its home security/home automation offering to Greater Phoenix. The expansion follows the success of a trial of Cox Home Security in Tucson, Ariz., which began last June, the company said.

“We launched the initial trial in Tucson last summer and expanded that to include the Phoenix area in April. We've received good early feedback and results thus far,” Todd Smith, manager of public relations for Cox, based here, told Security Systems News in an email interview this week.

He declined to discuss future plans for the product by Cox, one of the nation's largest cable entertainment and broadband service providers.

But Smith told SSN last year that Cox planned to expand to other markets in 2012. Right now, the product, which Smith has said is professionally installed and monitored by a third-party provider he has declined to name, is only being offered in Arizona.

Cox said its new security service was available to Cox customers in metro Phoenix starting April 23.

“In addition to safety, this system acts as a remote personal assistant connecting Cox Arizona customers to their home appliances, lighting and thermostats, enabling them to save on energy bills through programming while monitoring the use of energy throughout the entire home. The system can also automatically dispatch fire, medical or emergency officials to the scene,” the company said in a news release.

Cox said that “the system is free with a $99 installation and three-year contract, with professionally monitored Home Security service plans starting at $29.99.”

Since launching its product last summer, Cox has joined the Arizona Alarm Association and become an active member of the security industry in the state, according to Cox and the association.